A Not So Pleasant View
by Yo123
Summary: Pleasantview is an ideal town... or so it seems. But what is really going on there? Are the Pleasant family as happy as they seem? What are the intentions of the Caliente sisters? And where is the beloved Bella?
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning

The yellow bus stopped in front of 55 Woodland Drive. Brandi Broke was waiting, looking heated. A blond teenager got off the bus, holding hands with a red haired girl.

'Dustin Broke!' Brandi yelled. Dustin looked staggered as he approached his mother.

'Yes, mother? What is it?' He tried to sound insolent, even though he feared his mother's rage. She had used to be fairly nice, but nothing was the same anymore.

'Show me your report card.'

The report card – she couldn't have forgotten, of course. She knew he was doing poorly at school. Dustin held his breath as he waited for his mother's outburst, but she just muttered, 'You know, Dustin, your father wouldn't be proud of you right now.'

Dustin blinked; that was hitting below the belt. He hadn't realized Angela's arm around his neck until he heard her whispering in his ear, 'You okay?'

The two teenagers climbed the stairs to the tiny pink house. He wasn't okay, but he didn't want to express it; Angie had been so helpful, she deserved a bit of happiness.

They sat on Dustin's bed. 'Well,' Angela said, her emerald eyes narrowing, her smile widening. 'Are we going to do it or what?' _Are you going to kiss me or are you going to break up with me?_ It wasn't easy: he had just started going steady with her childhood friend, but they hadn't kissed yet. He closed his eyes and approached her. The kiss felt odd; it wasn't like he had expected it.

'I – I have to go to work,' he stuttered. 'See you tomorrow.'

'Yeah,' she said. 'See you.'

Angela Pleasant lived nearby. She hung her keys on the door and ran upstairs to her bedroom. She heard the giggles of her father and their attractive maid, Kaylynn. Angela knew that they were having an affair, and so did everyone else in the neighbourhood except for her mother, Mary Sue Pleasant. Mary Sue was too centred in her career to pay attention to her spouse and daughters.

Daniel wrapped Kaylynn's waist with his arms, and whispered in her ear, 'My wife is going to be late from work.' They ran to the master bedroom, and started woohooing.

Mary Sue had been sent early from work – and told not to come back the next day. That was it, she had been fired. All her efforts to climb the career ladder had been rendered useless, and all because of one little mistake. She walked through the front door, her head down. _At least_, she thought, _Dan's not working today. He'll console me. _With that soothing thought, she entered the master bedroom… and gasped in shock.

'DANIEL PLEASANT, YOU BASTARD! HOW COULD YOU? CHEATING! ON! ME! WITH! THE! MAID!' Mary Sue yelled while hitting his face, which was now scarlet red.

'Mary Sue, listen to me! I was… thinking about you the -!' He couldn't finish, because this time it was Kaylynn who slapped him. He looked at her in disbelief.

Panting, Mary Sue got out a suitcase from underneath the closet and started filling it with her husband's possessions. She sounded more calm when she said, 'Kaylynn, you're fired.'

Kaylynn got promptly dressed and out of the house. Daniel and Mary Sue just stared at each other, speechless, motionless – none of them dared say a word, and Mary Sue opened the door. By then, the twins were already listening by the door, so they almost fell to the ground.

'Lilith, I need to talk to you,' Angela whispered. They went to Lilith's room. Angela looked repelled by Lilith's interior decoration, but she didn't say anything about it.

'This is terrible,' she said once they were alone. 'What are we going to do?'

'What do you mean, what are _we _going to do? They've gotten what they deserve. Mum's too absorbed by her job to care about anything, and Dad's just a cheater.

'But Lilith, we've got to do something!'

'No.' Lilith turned her back on Angela, got out her MP3 player and started listening to metal.

'You're unbelievable!'

Dina Caliente was on the Jacuzzi. She'd just invited Mortimer over, after spending the whole day at her neighbour's, Don. She'd gotten tired of waiting for Mortimer to propose; she'd have to do it herself. Meanwhile, Nina was preparing dinner for them: everything had to be perfect.

When Mortimer arrived, she greeted him with a kiss and took him to the dining room. 'So, Mortimer… have you ever though… about us?'

'I don't know, Dina… I'm still a married man.'

Dina laughed. 'To Bella? You know she's never coming back. Alexander needs a mother. Where is our relationship going?' She swallowed. 'I mean, if we're not formalizing our relationship, maybe we should just split up.'


	2. Chapter 2: The Wedding & The Swap

The Goth backyard was prepared for the wedding. The whole neighbourhood was invited. The Dreamers arrived first: Darrin ran to help Cassandra while Dirk waited sitting on a chair. He smiled when he saw his girlfriend, Lilith Pleasant, stunning as usual, with her dark makeup and short black dress. Both of them raced inside the house to get some privacy – their parents didn't know they were dating. Angela had put on a long green dress. Daniel Pleasant was wearing a tuxedo and Mary Sue looked beautiful in her white dress. No one noticed how tense they were – they were close to getting divorced, but they didn't want anyone to know that their family was anything but perfect.

'I'm going to help the bride,' said Mary Sue. Cassandra was in the bathroom, wearing her wedding dress. Her hair was divided in two ponytails, and she was wearing dark makeup.

'Cassie! Why don't you let your hair down?' Mary Sue let Cassandra's hair down. Now the resemblance to Bella was uncanny. 'See? You look so beautiful! You have to look like that at you father's wedding too. I heard he got engaged with Dina Caliente.'

Cassandra's eyes filled with sorrow.

'You don't like Dina, do you?'

Cassandra shook her head. 'No, I don't. She's such a gold digger. I mean, she married my uncle – he was just a bit older than mom – and then he aged so quickly. I don't know what she did to him. I distrust her.'

'I see. Well, honey, are you ready?'

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Don Lothario was on his tux, drinking coffee. Darren Dreamer came up to him. 'You! I'll let you know that Cassie's my best friend, and if you ever do anything bad to her, I'll… I'll…' He didn't conclude, because Mary Sue called the groom.

Ten minutes later, all of the guests were waiting for the couple to walk down the aisle.

'I can't wait to see how she looks,' whispered Dina in Nina's ear. 'I have to admit Bella was a very beautiful woman – but she made such ugly kids!'

The couple walked down the aisle as a nuptial march was played.

'Cassandra Goth, do you take this man as your spouse?'

'I do,' she said, looking radiant.

'And you, Don Lothario, do you take this woman as your spouse?'

Don looked around. 'I – I'm sorry. I can't.' He ran away.

Everyone was quiet. Then Cassandra started to cry. Darren got up and hugged her tight.

The next days, Don kept calling, but Cassandra didn't want to talk to him. She spent most of her time at the Dreamers'; Darren had insisted on painting a portrait of her.

Meanwhile, at the Pleasants', things had turned ugly. Daniel and Mary Sue fought all the time, and so did the twins. One particular day, one week and a half after the wedding, the twins attacked each other while their respective boyfriends cheered.

'Okay, that's enough. That's enough!' said Dirk, trying to put the fight to an end. 'You guys have to stop this feud of yours.' He got slapped by Angela. 'Won't you help me?' he asked Dustin.

'No, why should I? This is fun!'

The fight finally stopped.

'You guys need to step into each other's shoes,' Dirk insisted. I can't stand this. Go to your room.'

'What, are you, like, grounding me?' replied Angela. She didn't look pleased at all.

'Yes, I am grounding you. Go upstairs.'

'But…'

'Go upstairs!'

They obeyed. Suddenly, Angela grabbed Lilith's arm.

'Hey, why did you do that?'

'Because I had an idea. You always say that I've had it easier than you, right?'

'Yeah, so what?' replied Lilith, her voice full of spite.

'So… I propose an experiment, a swap.' Lilith opened her mouth. 'No, let me finish. We'll become each other until we get tired of it. What do you think?'

Lilith thought about it for a bit. It seemed like a good change, living lucky Angela's life. 'Okay, deal.'

'Great! Let's get started.'

By that night, the twins had swapped roles.

'Let's sneak out with our guys,' proposed Angela. 'You can use my car. I guess I'll tell Dustin to pick me up or something…'

'Hold on, Dustin? We're supposed to swap lives, remember? You're not supposed to be dating him.'

'I know that, but Dustin and Lilith can be just friends, can't they?'

'Lilith doesn't really like Dustin, and Dustin doesn't like Lilith either. They just don't get alone.'

'But…' Angela bit her lip. 'I don't want to cheat on Dustin!'

'I don't want to cheat on Dirk either, but this isn't cheating.'

'Well, okay, if you say so…'

That night, Angela's – now Lilith's – bright green car stopped near Dustin's house. He tiptoed out of the house.

'Hi, Dustin! How are you?' Lilith felt awkward. She didn't really know Dustin. Whenever he was at her place, he just sat down on the sofa and sulked – and that was when he didn't try to destroy the garden.

'I'm fine, I guess.' The he sulked again. Lilith drove quietly. After a while, she finally spoke.

'Okay, what's the matter? Why don't you stop pouting all the time?'

'Well, I just… You know, since my father died, I've had to put a great effort in my job, and...'

'Then, why don't you just _quit_?

'Well, that's easy for you to say, isn't it?' His voice sounded surprisingly cruel. 'I mean, you practically live a perfect life. You don't know what is like… We have no other source of income; mom can't work, she's got a toddler; we live in a trailer park…'

'You're right, I'm sorry.'

'No, I'm sorry. It's not you, it's me. I'm being nasty. I just…' He left out an unhappy chuckle_, like when you try to smile but you're really crying inside_, thought Lilith. She knew those smiles very well. 'You know, I'm not really such a bad guy as my mom thinks I am. I just feel like she pays too much attention to Beau, while I'm completely forgotten… After all, I work all day, I work all night, yet everything I do seems to be wrong. Sometimes, I kind of just wish someone would tell me what to do.'

Lilith was speechless for a few seconds. Then, she finally found her words. 'Yes. Yes, I get that.'

* * *

Angela walked to Dirk Dreamer's. She looked through the window: Dirk was there, cooking something. When he saw her, he went to open the door for her.

'Hey, Lilith! You're not usually this early. I was about to call you – we can't go out, my dad's sick. I believe he has the flu or something like that.'

'It's okay. I understand. In fact, may I help you?'

Dirk was shocked. 'You want to help?'

'Yes, of course. If you want, I can do the cooking while you do other stuff.'

Angela cooked while Dirk did the cleaning and went upstairs to look after his father. A while later, both sat on the sofa, looking exhausted.

'That's just great. Dad can't paint know, and we need to pay the bills.' He sighed. 'I'm just tired of being the parent here. I mean, I love my dad, he's great and all, but can't he get a real job? Maybe we could hire a maid or something; I'm tired of doing the cooking and the cleaning.

'Yes, I know what you mean. My parents can't do anything on their own, seriously. I'm the only one who can cook.'

Dirk raised an eyebrow. 'I didn't know you could cook.'

'There are a lot of things you don't know about me.'

Angela walked back home and crept to the sofa in the living room: since mom and dad were fighting, he was sleeping in Lilith's bed. _That really_ is _unfair_, thought Angela. _Maybe Lilith's right in some aspects._

* * *

Lilith drove Dustin back to his place. He opened the door as quietly as possible.

'What the-?' He stared at the blood-stained floor.

'Wicked!' said Lilith.


	3. Chapter 3: Like Mother, Like Child

The toddler was in his crib, intact. With a sigh of relief, he picked him up in his arms and asked him, "What happened here, kiddo? That's stupid, you're not going to answer…"

"Mommy, room," the baby spoke, much to his surprise.

Brandi's room was to the left. Dustin knocked on the door, but there was no answer.

He knocked again.

And one more time.

"Mom? I'm coming in!

He opened the door with shaking hands. The floor and the bed were stained with blood, and Brandi lied unconscious in the middle of the puddle. By her feet was a new born baby.

_This is impossible_, he thought after dialling the emergency number. _The baby wasn't due in three months. He just had to be so early, precisely the night I'd gone out. Mom could die_. His heart was still pounding inside his chest when the ambulance arrived.

* * *

Pleasantview High opened its doors at nine A.M. Angela waited by the entrance, dressed in a bluish grey dress, with fishnets and black belt, boots and gloves, when Lilith finally appeared. She looked tired.

"At last, she appears! Where the heck have you been? Classes are about to start!

"I know, I come from the hospital. Dustin's mother went into labour prematurely, and the poor boy is devastated. He's staying at the hospital.

"What? He's skipping school again! He can't go on like that!"

"I know, Angela, I know, but what could I do? I've already tried to get him to come.

Angela sighed. "Here you go all of the instructions. Your first class is Simlish. Try to look like me, 'kay?

"Same thing here, only there aren't many instructions to follow. Good luck!

The two sister went through the high school door.

* * *

Cassandra was at Darren's, taking care of him.

"Thank you very much," he said in a broken voice. "You're an angel. Someday I'll paint you with wings and a halo.

Cassandra smiled and touched his forehead. "Quiet, don't make any efforts. You've got a high fever." After a few seconds, she added, "Why don't you allow me to lend you some money? I don't mind, I have to spare.

"No, Cassie. I don't need your charity."

"But it's not charity! You have a son," she reminded him.

"I know."

"At least, let me buy you some paintings. It's not charity, you know I adore them. I will give you fourteen hundred simoleons for those two by the easel.

"Deal. You're an angel, really."

* * *

Angela had Mathematics at 9 A.M. The teacher was an old man who couldn't spend too much time on his feet. He greeted the class with a, "good morning, students" and sat down… only the chair couldn't hold him up. He rose up, fuming.

"WHO DID IT?" he exclaimed with all of his strength, but nobody spoke. "NOBODY? All right, I think I know who did it. Lilith Pleasant, please stand up."

Angela swallowed.

* * *

Don Lothario hugged Dina Caliente in his hot tub. The latter had a cell phone in her hands; therefore, she was stretching so it didn't get wet. She was talking to her fiancé about the wedding.

"Sweetiepie, nuptial ceremonies at home are so… mundane! Now what's totally in is to tie the knot abroad, and it's not like there's a money problem. Plus, I heard the Goths own a summer villa in Twikkii Island.

"You heard right, honey, but what's the necessity to get married there?

Come on, think about it. It would be so romantic… In the beach…

"Okay, I'll think about it. I love you lots."

"Love you too. Mmm…" she purred, and then kissed the phone. She hung up and told Don as her finger danced around his cheek, "Well, we've got vacations at the beach.

"Honey, you are brilliant," manifested Don before kissing her lips.

* * *

After Simlish class, Meadow Thayers, Angela's best friend, approached Lilith.

"Hey, Angela, would you fancy a cigarette in the restroom?"

"Yeah, sure, why not?" _My sister is a smoker?_ Actually, she, Lilith, hadn't smoked one cigarette in her life, as much as it fitted her rebellious personality. She considered it a mass thing with no practical benefit. Why would she want to pollute her lungs with that filthy thing which tasted like feet?

Somebody opened the bathroom door. It was Angela.

"Hey, Angela, may I speak to you for a sec?"

"Yeah, sure," replied Lilith. Once they were outside, she inquired, "What's the matter?"

"Did you unscrew the teacher's chair?"

"What? Of course I didn't. That's too childish."

"Well, your teacher thinks you did, and he gave me detention. For a week. It's not fair! It wasn't me!

"My dear friend, what makes you think I've done all these things I've been punished for?" Angela looked at her, not quite believing it. "When you're like me, you always get the blame. Get used to it."

"Okay," Angela sighed. "Take good care of my boyfriend when you get out, will you?

Lilith's day was pretty smothering: Angela was in the photography class, the prom committee, the yearbook club and the cheerleading team. Nevertheless, Angela's was relaxed. It was nice to be a social outcast for a day. Once the classes were over, Lilith got rid of everyone and drove to the hospital. She soon localized Dustin, sitting on a chair with Beau in his arms. He looked pale and baggy-eyed, as if he hadn't slept in a week, even if it had only been one night.

"Dustin!" He barely looked at her. "How is she?"

"Mom is unconscious; the baby, in an incubator."

"Dustin, stop blaming yourself for this. It's not your fault."

"'Course it is. If I hadn't gone out…"

"Dustin, look at you. You look terrible – sorry. You need to stop working so much. Don't worry about the money – I can lend you some.

"I knew you would say that." His voice sounded empty of every emotion. "You'd love that, wouldn't you? Being the angel everyone thinks you are…"

Lilith was staggered. That was what she used to say to her sister, but hearing it from a different person sounded really cruel. With shaking hands, she got out some chocolate bars she'd bought on her way to the hospital.

"I… I brought you this. I bet you haven't eaten anything today."

"I'm not hungry," Dustin replied, but his stomach growled. He closed his eyes. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't do it while looking into the girl's eyes. "Listen… this isn't working."

"What do you mean?" asked Lilith with a reedy voice, even though she knew perfectly what he meant.

"I think we… should break up." There, he'd said it. "We're too different, and right now I can't have a girlfriend. But I hope we can still be friends.

Lilith felt the need to cry, which was stupid. It wasn't her who Dustin was breaking up with.

"Very well. Goodbye."

* * *

Cassandra arrived home. She entered Alexander's room being very careful not to make any noise, as he was sleeping, and tucked him in. She went to her room; on the desk there were some travel brochures. Cassandra smiled. Alexander must have let them there; they were planning their family vacation when summer arrived. The brochures talked about Strangetown, a town where peculiarity was the regular thing, which woke Alexander's scientific curiosity. Deep down, Cassandra knew the real reason why Alexander wanted to go: Bella Goth was rumoured to have been seen there.

Cassandra wasn't sleepy, so she climbed upstairs to the attic. There was a telescope which she hadn't touched since the incident. Her father, conversely, spent hours at a time stargazing, waiting for a clue of Bella's whereabouts. Actually, Cassandra had always sported a fondness for astronomy, and she knew all of the constellations. She pointed her telescope at Virgo… and then it occurred to her.

* * *

Dina Caliente had just served herself a cup of coffee when she heard a sweet whisper in her ears.

"Missed me?"

"You're back!" said Dina, giving a hint of a smile. She turned to the transparent coloured ghost. "Michael, it's been so long since the last time you paid me a visit."

"Three days. To be honest, I felt like an intruder when you were with that Don."

"Don? What, don't you want me to go on with my life?"

"Of course it does, but… it saddens me, you know? Makes me think I was nothing more than one of your quests for money."

"You've always been a lot more than that, and you know it."

They melted into a ghostly embrace.

* * *

Don was in bed with one of his conquests, a blonde, blue-eyed, curvy woman he had met at work. Somebody knocked at the door. Lethargically, Don got up and went downstairs to the first floor. It was Cassandra – what a moment to come. He opened the door and clasped her.

"Cassandra! Have you given it a second thought?"

"Don, you're disgusting, but I need to use the telescope. I've just discovered something."

She ran upstairs to the telescope, which Don used to spy on his neighbours. She pointed it to Virgo.

"Aha! You are so busted!"

But then she heard a noise right behind her, and when she turned around she saw an enormous alien machine.


End file.
